The ole Integrity Unit

[Tommy Smith]

So it looks like they won't intervene and are happy with Jesse Bromwich's 2 week ban. And Josh Papalii's 1 week ban.

So just remember folks...

Get caught with cocaine outside a nightclub - 2 weeks
Admit to a drink driving charge - 1 week
Be drunk and act stupid at a private residence - 8 weeks and 125k

I lost faith in the NRL a while back but this just takes the cake.

They're a shameful administration. Grossly incompetent and I can't wait for the clubs to revolt and demand a complete management overhaul.

[Guest]

i still dont see what the problem is almost everyone on this website crucified pearce for what he did and bought in to the massound worst incident of all time hype so why the anger and resentment 18 months later comparing it to other punishments although i do accept that tommy s wasnt part of the outrage as much as most were but 76% of people in a poll voted to sack him from the club and the same people who wanted him sacked are now complaining his treatment was unfair when other punishments get handed out sorry you people cant have it both ways

[milanja]

The two NZ players also miss out on the World Cup and lose 150k worth of wages, pretty hefty punishment.

When comparing the drink driving charge to what Pearce did, it goes to how much "damage" he did to the game.

The video of him enraged many different women's rights and animal rights groups and it was seen over and over again, and nobody will forget it for a very long time.

I know he didn't break the law, but nobody will remember the papalii incident compared to that.

I think the drink driving charge has been dealt the same way with other players in regards to fines and suspensions.

[ism22]

i still dont see what the problem is almost everyone on this website crucified pearce for what he did and bought in to the massound worst incident of all time hype so why the anger and resentment 18 months later comparing it to other punishments although i do accept that tommy s wasnt part of the outrage as much as most were but 76% of people in a poll voted to sack him from the club and the same people who wanted him sacked are now complaining his treatment was unfair when other punishments get handed out sorry you people cant have it both ways

I think Pearce's punishment was fair. He coulda gotten in a lot more trouble...

What I don't think is fair is how lenient the NRL are towards other players (and their clubs)!!!

Pearce's incident completely derailed our season. Seen the Storm play without Bromwich lately? I think it's unfair that other clubs don't have their seasons completely wrecked when players run amok.

For comparison, Big Dell was deregistered from rugby union for snorting cocaine. 1 Pos result and he was banned!!! The NRL let him straight back in as a 'genuine good bloke' kinda celebrity and allowed him to play without punishment.

Generally my complaints are:
- The NRL wouldn't dare to derail the season of their only Melbourne franchise (which faces significant uncertainty once their 'big 3' retire) and the Titans, which they are pumping up for sale. A Titans outfit that doesn't have a Kiwi internalional prop and has (again) finished bottom 8 isn't all that attractive for buyers, ay?
- The NRL is not only soft on cocaine, they are inconsistent!!!! If you get caught by the cops during a drug blitz that aligns with an ABC docco on high profile drug usage (betcha any money that SKD will be on that show) then you'll be stood down indefinitely. If you get caught by the NRL and the cops decide not to press charges then it gets treated as seriously as a low-grade, careless tackle.
- I don't think we were robbed, I think other clubs got off lightly when this SHOULD have killed their season, confidence, recruitment strategy, sponsorships...etc (everything that comes with a scandal). I think money speaks! Like with the salary cap scandal, the NRL have made a business decision to slap Melbourne on the wrist rather than punish them because the success of their Melbourne franchise is far more valuable than being seen to care about illegal drugs.

[The Axe]

i still dont see what the problem is almost everyone on this website crucified pearce for what he did and bought in to the massound worst incident of all time hype so why the anger and resentment 18 months later comparing it to other punishments although i do accept that tommy s wasnt part of the outrage as much as most were but 76% of people in a poll voted to sack him from the club and the same people who wanted him sacked are now complaining his treatment was unfair when other punishments get handed out sorry you people cant have it both ways

I was one of those and whilst at the time I would sack him it was about him being a leader and taking two junior players out against the club's direction. With his previous behaviour and bring the club into disrepute - That's why he should have been sacked.

However. When you compare punishments handed out, it obviously wasn't in line with other punishments. That's what this thread is about.

NRL = Inconsistency. Whilst the "integrity" nit deserves to be placed inside parentheses as it is not about integrity, rather the perception of integrity.

[Guest]

the nrl derailed the storm season midway through 2010 an unprecedented punishment of not allowing a team to accrue points throughout the year that will never happen again and of course you shouldnt be punished as heavily from the nrl if the police dont press charges and the nrl didnt stand skd down it was the club who did that on their own and it was also reported that the nrl had no intention of standing skd down but the club did it anyway based on their own standards

[milanja]

I think Pearce's punishment was fair. He coulda gotten in a lot more trouble...

What I don't think is fair is how lenient the NRL are towards other players (and their clubs)!!!

Pearce's incident completely derailed our season. Seen the Storm play without Bromwich lately? I think it's unfair that other clubs don't have their seasons completely wrecked when players run amok.

For comparison, Big Dell was deregistered from rugby union for snorting cocaine. 1 Pos result and he was banned!!! The NRL let him straight back in as a 'genuine good bloke' kinda celebrity and allowed him to play without punishment.

Generally my complaints are:
- The NRL wouldn't dare to derail the season of their only Melbourne franchise (which faces significant uncertainty once their 'big 3' retire) and the Titans, which they are pumping up for sale. A Titans outfit that doesn't have a Kiwi internalional prop and has (again) finished bottom 8 isn't all that attractive for buyers, ay?
- The NRL is not only soft on cocaine, they are inconsistent!!!! If you get caught by the cops during a drug blitz that aligns with an ABC docco on high profile drug usage (betcha any money that SKD will be on that show) then you'll be stood down indefinitely. If you get caught by the NRL and the cops decide not to press charges then it gets treated as seriously as a low-grade, careless tackle.
- I don't think we were robbed, I think other clubs got off lightly when this SHOULD have killed their season, confidence, recruitment strategy, sponsorships...etc (everything that comes with a scandal). I think money speaks! Like with the salary cap scandal, the NRL have made a business decision to slap Melbourne on the wrist rather than punish them because the success of their Melbourne franchise is far more valuable than being seen to care about illegal drugs.

If the nrl are lenient, then what would you call the AFL, they still have a 3 strike policy.

[Johnny Tobin]

Greenberg has said that such incidents shouldn't be compared and they are each treated on their merits. In other words, there isn't even an attempt at consistency.

[ism22]

If the nrl are lenient, then what would you call the AFL, they still have a 3 strike policy.

Lenient.

[ism22]

If the nrl are lenient, then what would you call the AFL, they still have a 3 strike policy.

the nrl derailed the storm season midway through 2010 an unprecedented punishment of not allowing a team to accrue points throughout the year that will never happen again and of course you shouldnt be punished as heavily from the nrl if the police dont press charges and the nrl didnt stand skd down it was the club who did that on their own and it was also reported that the nrl had no intention of standing skd down but the club did it anyway based on their own standards

Point taken Boogie. But... that was more about saving the reputation of the comp after they'd let it happen (IMO it was all a News Ltd skit to compete against the AFL in Melbourne). The Storm still have more than $5M wrapped up in 3 or 4 players while remaining under the cap and haven't really had a poor season in the last decade. Also, the NRL didn't take it one step further by holding a ceremony to present the wouldbe premiers (and minor premiers) with the prizes they SHOULD have won. IMO it was an irky punishment that seemed significant at the time but didn't really achieve much.

IMO watch this space. Cronk's gone... Slater and Smith will go too. Despite their mantra that they 'develop' players... absolutely no NRL players are from Melbourne. I dunno what the NRL's plan is once Bellamy becomes a bottom-8 coach, crowds drop off and sponsors focus on AFL.

[Jacks Fur Coat]

I think Pearce's punishment was fair. He coulda gotten in a lot more trouble...

What I don't think is fair is how lenient the NRL are towards other players (and their clubs)!!!

Pearce's incident completely derailed our season. Seen the Storm play without Bromwich lately? I think it's unfair that other clubs don't have their seasons completely wrecked when players run amok.

For comparison, Big Dell was deregistered from rugby union for snorting cocaine. 1 Pos result and he was banned!!! The NRL let him straight back in as a 'genuine good bloke' kinda celebrity and allowed him to play without punishment.

Generally my complaints are:
- The NRL wouldn't dare to derail the season of their only Melbourne franchise (which faces significant uncertainty once their 'big 3' retire) and the Titans, which they are pumping up for sale. A Titans outfit that doesn't have a Kiwi internalional prop and has (again) finished bottom 8 isn't all that attractive for buyers, ay?
- The NRL is not only soft on cocaine, they are inconsistent!!!! If you get caught by the cops during a drug blitz that aligns with an ABC docco on high profile drug usage (betcha any money that SKD will be on that show) then you'll be stood down indefinitely. If you get caught by the NRL and the cops decide not to press charges then it gets treated as seriously as a low-grade, careless tackle.
- I don't think we were robbed, I think other clubs got off lightly when this SHOULD have killed their season, confidence, recruitment strategy, sponsorships...etc (everything that comes with a scandal). I think money speaks! Like with the salary cap scandal, the NRL have made a business decision to slap Melbourne on the wrist rather than punish them because the success of their Melbourne franchise is far more valuable than being seen to care about illegal drugs.

Ism.... your posts are usually too wordy for my short attention span but I seen the words Pearces punishment was fair??...wow.

He did....nothing wrong. He was victimised and made an example of by an organisation that has rank hypocrisy as it's core value.

Please.

[Parkway_Drive]

I am sure big Dell served out his suspension (2 year ban?) from the rahs rahs before he returned to the NRL.

[eddie]

I was one of those and whilst at the time I would sack him it was about him being a leader and taking two junior players out against the club's direction. With his previous behaviour and bring the club into disrepute - That's why he should have been sacked.

.

I was with you at the time as well.
Extremely pissed off with his actions as captain of our club.
I would've supported any actions the club took against him, but took exception to the nrl sticking their hypocritical nose into what should have been a club matter.

[eddie]

I am sure big Dell served out his suspension (2 year ban?) from the rahs rahs before he returned to the NRL.

Big Dell copped a terrible punishment . He became a St Merge player.

[bondi paul]

I came to my own conclusion of the NRL being inconsistent with its so called integrity at the time when Inglis scored a so called try in Origin when the very next day in the media the headline was " gambling online goes up to the minute" then later Waterhouse appears to be a fall guy for the Sportsbet partnership with the NRL.Its all very suss to me as the bunker is just a smother for " incompetent " officialdom. The media partnership just as controlling as Sportsbet. The NRL puppets have no integrity as they are like the bunker and Waterhouse being the fall guys for the powers that be.